Monday, July 08, 2013

Card carrying members of the "working class"

If you believed what some in the trade unions and the Labour party claim, there is an army of "working class" people with a uniform outlook on life, all wanting "working class" MPs representing them in Parliament. But just who are these "working class" people? Judging by what some in the Labour movement suggest, such a clearly defined class exists almost to the point of having its own constitution and membership cards. Principles of the organisation include propagating "class war" (whatever that is). The trouble is that the idea of a uniform "working class" is drivel, spouted by so-called "socialists" with no real political agenda worth considering. Indeed, it is precisely that absence of a sensible and realistic political agenda within the Labour party post 2010 that has opened the door for the first time since the early 90s to those pushing the "class war" agenda.

If Unite are the modern day militants, their tactics show an interesting arrogance. It is alleged that Unite members have been signed up to Labour, some possibly without their knowledge as voting fodder in candidate selections. Presumably Unite has operated on the basis that these members, as card carrying members of the "working class", would all vote uniformly for the anointed Unite candidate (sometimes a well paid union official whose job hardly defines them as "working class".)

Labour's selection procedure is their own business, no matter how much we can stand back and enjoy the entertainment generated by their shenanigans over Falkirk. Yet, if those who shout loudly in the Labour Party about needing "working class" MPs examine the record of those Labour MPs with a union background and who refer to themselves as "working class", they may be rather disappointed by the record of some of them under Blair and Brown. Whilst many talked the talk of the "class war", they certainly didn't walk the walk. Snuggling up to the City, increasing taxes on the lowest paid workers and keeping tax on wealth at a low level isn't exactly what the so-called "class war" was meant to do.